ISRAEL PHOTOS III  -- A COLLECTION OF PHOTOS FROM ISRAEL 

WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SCENES AND SITES PERTINENT TO THE STUDY OF CHRISTIANITY

HEALING POOLS


Medicinal pools of Bethesda at the St. Anne Church Property, Jerusalem (Sept. 2003)

The medicinal pools and baths were built from 150 BC to 70 AD.  There was a Roman temple (200 - 400) thought to be in honor of a healing god (Aesclepius or Serapis) built on the site; it is thought they were built there after them place was established as a traditional place of healing.

John 5 (ASV)

  1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 
  2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches.
  3 In these lay a multitude of them that were sick, blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
  4  (this verse is not contained in some manuscripts)
  5 And a certain man was there, who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity.
  6 When Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wouldest thou be made whole?
  7 The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
  8 Jesus saith unto him, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk.
  9 And straightway the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked. Now it was the sabbath on that day.
10 So the Jews said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed.
11 But he answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
12 They asked him, Who is the man that said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
13 But he that was healed knew not who it was; for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in the place.
14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee.
15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him whole.  

Bethesda was probably from the name of a hill Bezetha described by Josephus as being part of the new city that was just outside the north wall (first wall) of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus.  These pools were near the bottom of the hill going up towards Herod Gate. 

Some translations indicated the area of the pools was surrounded by five porticoes, i.e. the NAS translation.

There were some fine photos of porticoes online from Portici, Italy:

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Italy/Emilia_Romagna/Bologna-155512/Things_To_Do-Bologna-Portici-BR-1.html 

Porticoes were common architectural features in classical Jerusalem. 

Parable of the Mustard Seed
     A Mustard Field Along Highway 87-North Shore of Galilee
     Mustard Seeds in the Palm of a Hand
     A Branching Mustard Plant Near the Jordan River/Bethsaida
     Mustard Field March 1999
     Mustard Flowers
    
Chukar Partridges
Upper Most Seats of the Synagogue
The Fig Tree
     Mt of Olives Fig Tree April 12-13, 2005
     Fig and Pomegranate trees below Siloam in Jerusalem
     Israel Photos II fig tree page
     Sycomore Fig Tree
The Good Shepherd
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
     Goat Herder
Camels
Eye of the Needle
Ritual Cleansing
Shechem
     The Olive Harvest of Samaria
     Mt. Ebal
     Olive Tree
Pearl of Great Price
A First Century Synagogue at Gamala
     View from the Vulture Overlook
     Overview of Gamala
     Roman Artillery Replica
A First Century Boat on Display at Kibbutz Ginosaur
     Modern Galilee Fishing Boats
Kursi
     
Caves and/or Tombs
     Steep Slope near the Lake
Hippos
Feeding the 5,000
     On the Mountain
     Walking on Water

     Ramot-Zelon area
     Alternate location
Mt. Hermon
The Pool(s) of Bethesda in Jerusalem

     Healing Pools
     Southern Pool
     Crusader Chapel and St. Ann Church
The Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem
     Gihon Spring
     Hezekiah's Tunnel
     Overlook of  Siloam
Tower of Siloam
A Watch Tower in a Vineyard/Olive Grove
     Grape Vines at Beth Horan
     Towers

Mt. Precipice
     South Face
     Summit
     Over the edge
     Measuring Line
     View of Nazareth from near Megiddo
Nazareth
     The Basilica of the Annunciation
Capernaum
Healing a Paralytic in Capernaum
Bethsaida      
First Century Artifacts from Qumran and Masada
     Qumran -- 1st century pottery

     Masada -- 1st century glassware
     Masada -- 1st century pottery
     Masada -- 1st century stoneware
Waterskins and Wineskins
The Fish and the Coin
A Denarius
Casting out a demon
The Road to Jericho
     Old Roman Road
     Wilderness Above Jericho

     Old Jericho
Western Wall
Gethsemane and the Cave of  Gethsemane
Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Rolling Stone Tombs - Jerusalem
     Other Rolling Stone Tombs
Tiberias

Solar Power in Israel

Salt of the earth
Chorazin

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